And so you get the feeling now that maybe just as they wanted the "blockbuster franchise guy" for the job, (as opposed to the other Oscar-winner director) adn were willing to (perhaps) manipulate the chips--and oh so patiently, for years--tighening the thumbscrews on Del Toro, perhaps, to pressure him into quitting---even willing to go to the lengths of pulling him off a *Stepehn Spielberg collaberation*--they knew full well the possibilty of a schedule conflict?

I have to tell you, that sounds like one heck of a troll-sized gamble. Secondly, if they were so desperate to have PJ and only PJ direct, I'm sure that would have been part of the terms to begin with, rather than letting PJ and the rest of the studio come to an agreement with GDT. Ultimately the studio has say as to who the major players are in the film, and rather than try and sabotage the production, risking complete obliteration of the project, they could have just flat out said "this is how we want it done, and if it can't be done like that now, we'll just wait until it can."

I'm just not buying the big conspiracy theory that the financial troubles they were going through were the perfect "excuse" for them to pressure GDT out.

Am I sad for what GDT has gone through? You bet. I was excited for the guy, and excited to see his vision for the Hobbit. But I don't think there was any plotting against him in all this. He simply became frustrated with the wrangling that had to be done to get this thing to happen, and decided not to put up with the frustrations and scheduling problems.

The movie business is full of ups and downs. Let's not try and paint GDT as an "unlucky" guy in the movie business - at least not more so than anyone else. He's done very well for himself, and I see a very bright future yet to come for him. He may be suffering through a couple of unfortunate circumstances right now, but I doubt highly that it has anything to do with him personally or professionally. Sometimes it's just the way the ball bounces.